Although recycling paper, plastics, and glass has become second nature to most Mainers, there are operating and proposed efforts underway to further reduce our solid waste stream by diverting organics and residuals from landfills and energy recovery facilities. Casella is providing new technologies and services to manage Maine's residual waste streams. Garbage to Garden is collecting organic wastes from residences in the Greater Portland area and returning high-quality compost to its customers. ecomaine recently completed a comprehensive study to determine the feasibility of collecting residential organic wastes on a larger scale. Maine Standard Biofuels is collecting oils and greases and producing biofuels that are being used in vehicles for some of Maine’s largest delivery fleets.

Speakers representing these businesses and others will explore what is being done to address the top of the Waste Hierarchy pyramid: Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting, with a specific focus on organics.

Speaker Panel:

Jay Kilbourn, Vice President, Casella Organics

Jay will provide an overview of an often overlooked segment of the organic waste stream, "Residuals", whose quantities dwarf MSW, food scraps and traditional recyclables and offer many opportunities to reduce, recycle, reuse, compost and digest. Using a comprehensive Resource Management perspective and relevant case studies, Jay will illustrate how we can minimize the waste generated upstream, maximize recycling and reuse downstream, and create nutrient and carbon recycling, while reducing costs.

Andrew Carpenter, Principal, Northern Tilth

Andrew authored an Organics Recycling Feasibility Study for ecomaine and will draw on his findings to examine the market and economics of organic waste management systems, including the make-up of the solid waste stream, collection processes, existing capacity, composting, and anaerobic digestion.

Kendall Hinkley, Community Outreach, Garbage to Garden

In two short years, Garbage to Garden is already serving nearly 15 percent of Portland homes - picking up food scraps and delivering high-quality compost – and is growing its business and events services. Kendall will discuss the company’s strong expansion plans, impacts on the communities it serves, and its relationships with both partners and other waste management entities.

Alex Pine, Maine Standard Biofuels

Since 2007, Maine Standard Biofuels has been collecting used food oils from restaurants, refining into clean burning biodiesel, and distributing in bulk for transportation and home heating uses. Alex will discuss the company’s role as both a producer and consumer of organic wastes, taking into account the interconnections of biological processes and the partnerships that allow them to succeed in creating a product that is both competitively priced and environmentally friendly.